FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Lewiston, Maine (June 1, 2017) – New England Fights (NEF) returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee on June 17 with a fight card featuring both mixed-martial-arts (MMA) and professional boxing bouts. Earlier today, the promotion announced the full fight card for the event. The fight card is subject to approval of the Combat Sports Authority of Maine (CSAM). The boxing portion of the card will begin at 7 pm EDT with the MMA card to immediately follow.

In a highly-anticipated “Superfight,” Maine MMA star Bruce “Pretty Boy” Boyington (14-9 MMA, 1-0 boxing) will take on Maine’s premier boxer Russell “The Haitian Sensation” Lamour, Jr. (15-2, 7 KOs) in a six-round boxing bout. The fight will be a dream match for fans who never expected to see each sports’ top in-state athletes face one another. Boyington and Lamour have both been featured in nationally-televised bouts on NBC and ESPN in recent years. Lamour is the former New England Middleweight Champion, while Boyington held the NEF MMA Lightweight Title until relinquishing it last year to sign with the World Series of Fighting (WSOF) global promotion.

“Bruce and Russell are at the top of their respective games,” noted NEF co-owner and matchmaker Matt Peterson. “Russell is a great boxer, and he’s going to face a superb striker in the form of Taekwondo black belt Bruce Boyington. This is a true dream match for Maine fight fans.”

The professional MMA portion of the fight card will feature the long-awaited return of former NEF MMA Featherweight Champion Ray “All Business” Wood (8-3) as he faces Brazilian prospect Alexandre “Popo” Bezerra (19-5). Wood left Maine more than two years ago to re-settle in South Carolina and then Texas. Both Wood and Bezerra are veterans of the Bellator cage with a dozen fights between them for the national promotion.

“When you consider both sides, this is probably the highest-level fight to ever take place in NEF,” said NEF co-owner and promoter Nick DiSalvo. “This fight could easily be slid into any UFC card on FS1 or Fox and steal the show. Either one of these athletes could get the call up after this fight. Our fans are about to see something special.”

The amateur MMA card will be headlined by a title fight with Rafael “Deez Nuts” Velado (4-0) defending the amateur lightweight championship against Maine Amateur Wrestling Alliance Hall of Famer Pat Kelly (3-0). At age 52, Kelly will be the oldest fighter to ever challenge for an NEF title.

In addition to the fights, legendary boxer James “Buster” Douglas (38-6-1, 25 KOs) will make an appearance at “NEF 29” as the guest of honor. Douglas will hold an hour-long meet-and-greet with fans at the Colisee from 6 pm to 7 pm prior to the opening bell. Longtime fans will remember Douglas as the architect of the greatest upset in professional sports history with his knockout of “Iron” Mike Tyson (50-6, 44 KOs) in 1990 to claim the world heavyweight title. Douglas halted the 37-fight undefeated streak that opened Tyson’s pro career.

The full “NEF 29” fight card (subject to change and approval of CSAM):

PROFESSIONAL BOXING

200 Crowsneck Boutin (Independent) vs. Cristiano Pedro (Cugno)

168 Jason Quirk (PBC) vs. Borngod Washington (Meekins)

160 Russell Lamour (PBC) vs. Bruce Boyington (Boyington’s TKD)

154 Casey Kramlich (PBC) vs. Bryan Goldsby (Jorge Gurgle)

PROFESSIONAL MMA

265 Ras Hylton (First Class/Dragon Fire) vs. Eric Ramsey (Trinity)

145 Alexandre Bezerra (Daddis) vs. Ray Wood (Nick’s)

145 Dominic Jones (First Class) vs. Matt Denning (CMBJJ)

145 Andre Belcarris (NE Assassins) vs. Josh Parker (Ruthless)

AMATEUR MMA

155*TITLE Rafael Velado (First Class) (c) vs. Pat Kelly (Young’s)

185 Mike Williams (CMBJJ) vs. John Tefft (First Class)

185 Anthony Spires (Independent) vs. Josh Jones (First Class)

150 Jacob Deppmeyer (First Class) vs. Ben Harrington(CMBJJ)

145 Derek Daley (First Class) vs. Frank Johanson (CMBJJ)

140 Glenn Kasabian (Nostos) vs. Kam Arnold (CMBJJ)

115 Alex Walker (Kaze) vs. Sarah Ziehm (CMBJJ)

New England Fights returns to the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston, Maine with its next event, “NEF 29: STARS & STRIPES,” on Saturday, June 17, 2017. Tickets are on sale now at the Colisee box office 207-783-2009 x 525 and online at www.TheColisee.com. The event will be broadcast live on the FloCombat app on Roku and Apple TV and streamed live at www.FloCombat.com.